NEW DELHI, Feb. 22 -- As part of India's playbook to diversify its critical mineral and rare earth supplies, India on Saturday inked a pact with Brazil.

The South American country has the second-largest source of rare earth and other critical mineral ores after China.

Mint explains the development that comes a day after India formally joined the US-led alliance for the critical mineral global supply chain Pax Silica. Brazil is not a part of the alliance.What are rare earths and critical minerals?There are 17 rare-earth elements, including samarium, dysprosium, and neodymium, which are metallic. Simultaneously, there are minerals notified by the government to be critical minerals, essential in India's growth journey and energy transition...